1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to plastic containers for oxidant bleaches. The container is carefully constructed to avoid or minimize interaction between the container material and an oxidant bleach, a fragrance, or both, contained therein, to prevent formation of malodors and to minimize decomposition of the oxidant bleach composition.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Containers for delivering dry detergents constructed of both plastics and cardboard have been disclosed in the prior art. For example, Joshi et al, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,444,673, 4,351,740 and 4,269,722, disclose a clear bottle, with a hollow handle, for dispensing dry detergents. However, the material used to construct such containers for detergent is not critical.
Other prior art discloses containers provided with venting means to alleviate pressure, of gases evolved by materials disposed within the container, e.g., Snyder, U.S. Pat. No. 4,007,848, or Whitney, U.S. Pat. No. 4,392,005. Still other references disclose fragrancing containers, for instance, Kittscher et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,663, shows a pail having a perfumed disc which also acts as a gasket for a carrying handle, and E.P. No. 4463, shows a carton impregnated with perfume to fragrance the head space of the carton.
However, none of the prior art discloses, teaches or suggests that a plastic container which is used to house an oxidant bleach must be constructed of a material that avoids decomposition of the bleach and/or the formation of malodors via interaction of the bleach with the plastic container material. Further, nothing in the art discloses, teaches or suggests that when a fragrance disposed within a plastic container housing an oxidant bleach for fragrancing the bleach, or the headspace thereof, there may be interaction between the fragrance and the container, resulting in additional malodor formation. Thus, a conventional fragrancing means used in such an environment may not only be ineffective to solve the problem it was originally intended to solve, but in fact it may exacerbate the problem. The prior art has failed to recognize such problems, or to provide or suggest any means of solving such problems, and the teachings of the prior art, such as that outlined above, are not instructive with respect to the problems solved by the present invention.